


Sandboy 2.0

by PandaWritesPoorly



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Apocalypse, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Cat Puns, Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s03 Chat Blanc Spoilers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Goodness I've been up all night what are even tags and how do I use them, Hugs, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I always wanted to use that tag, I'm Sorry, Identity Reveal, Inspired By Tumblr, Ladynoir friendship, Literal Sleeping Together, Nightmares, Note to self: don't write tags when you haven't slept it's just a huge mess, One Shot, Panic Attacks, Post-Episode: s03 Chat Blanc, Rabbit Alix Kubdel | Bunnyx, Sharing a Bed, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Two Shot, We Die Like Men, i'm not sure which, no editing, or maybe two shot, or whatever you want to replace 'man' with, partial reveal, we'll see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21935056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaWritesPoorly/pseuds/PandaWritesPoorly
Summary: Sandboy is back. Ladybug manages to get Chat Noir from getting hit (phew no evil Ladybug), but accidentally gets hit herself in the process. Oh well, it's not a big deal if she's powerless again.Except she's still got her powers. What could she possibly be more scared of than-A white figure stands above them on the rooftops, a glowing white orb in his clawed hand.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 52
Kudos: 684
Collections: Favourites (BQuincy)





	1. Chat Blanc

**Author's Note:**

> Woo! Guess who got hit with inspiration for the first time in a month! This girl! I actually had _fun_ writing this! It wasn't forced! Thank [this post](https://gale-of-the-nomads.tumblr.com/post/189828400855/i-know-the-20-episodes-on-ml-are-lacking-but).

The worst part about having Sandboy being reakumatized is that he is - once again - a night time akuma. Ladybug and Chat Noir don’t like akuma attacks in the day, but there’s something _extra_ evil about making the heroes wake up in the middle of the night. They’re teenagers for Kwami’s sake! They need their sleep!

Chat Noir lets out a yawn as he stands next to Ladybug, “Dreaming of me M’lady? I’m purr-leased to inform you that you now have the real deal.”

Ladybug glares at him, “2:00 am is far too early for puns.”

Chat grins, and she realizes her mistake.

“Don-”

 _“Two_ early, you say?”

Ladybug sighs, “Let’s just deal with Sandboy so I can go back to sleep. I have a test tomorrow.”

“What a coincidence! So do I!”

As they speak, Sandboy flies into their sight. He passes overhead, and Ladybug is quick to move Chat out of the way. She intended to get herself away from the sand as well, but some lands on her foot.

“Sorry Chat, looks like I won’t be able to assist much. At least we don’t have to deal with an evil me this ti-”

“It’s so good to see you My Lady!” A voice calls to the pair from a nearby rooftop.

Chat blinks in confusion, seeing Ladybug pale beside him. He turns to see a white figure standing some distance away, grinning down at them.

“I was _feline_ so lonely! You’re back now though, so everything will be purr-fect!”

Chat narrows his eyes, the voice is familiar, as is the person as a whole. They almost remind him of…

“Oh, Kwami not again. No no no.” Ladybug won’t look at the nightmare, gripping Chat tightly, her voice shaky.

…himself.

“Worried Bugaboo? Don’t worry, Chat Blanc has learned his lesson,” the nightmare raises his hand, a white orb beginning to grow above it, _“Other people just get in the way.”_

Ladybug stiffens further. The orb grows larger incredibly fast, it seems like only a second or two has passed before it is released.

The white light fades to reveal…

Paris. In shambles.

Flooded, with buildings damaged and crumbling. The Eiffel tower has fallen over and _what in the name of Plagg happened to the moon?!_ _  
_ Ladybug has noticed the disaster from her peripheral, whimpering slightly and squeezing her eyes shut, _“NononononotagainnotagainnotagainChatonI’msosorry…”_

Chat Noir grips her shoulders, hoping to ground her. His confusion can wait - this is one heck of a nightmare, “Hey, Ladybug. It’s not real remember? Just a nightmare.”

She shakes her head violently, “You don’t understand! It _is_ real! This-” she gestures around them with her hands, though her eyes don’t leave his chest - she won’t meet his eyes ~~(she couldn’t bear if they were blue)~~ , “-this all actually happened! Bunnyx- I-”

His partner is hyperventilating at this point, a fact she doesn’t seem to have noticed. Chat squeezes her arms slightly, hoping to distract her, “Ladybug, breathe. It’s okay, just do it with me-”

She doesn’t even notice, continuing in her rambling, “You- you- I- Paris- _the whole world!_ All because of me! Everyone was gone, and you were all alone and I was dead and you knew who I was and I don’t know how but it was my fault and I-” she’s sobbing and his heart breaks.

“Hey, no, none of that. This isn’t your fault. This is Sandboy, remember? Just another akuma attack-”

There’s a thud beside them and his partner flinches.

The nightmare - some version of himself, Chat guesses - frowns at Ladybug with obvious concern, “Oh, Marinette, please don’t cry! I’m sorry! You can turn it back. Maribug, please don’t cry…” The nightmare reaches a gloved white hand towards her, but Chat Noir doesn't hesitate to move her away, angling himself to be in between them.

Ladybug is having a full blown attack at this point, barely aware - if at all - of what’s happening between the pair of inverted Chats.

The white version of him growls at him, “Don’t make the mistake of getting in between My Lady and I. _Especially_ when she’s upset like this.”

“Actually,” Chat Noir speaks levelly, calmly picking up his partner, “Fur-tunately, you won’t have to worry about us. We’re on our way out. Purr-haps you can use this opurr-tunity to paw-nder your actions.”

Before the im-pawster (he’s really on a roll here) can react, Chat Noir takes to the rooftops, sprinting away until he finds a mostly intact building for the duo to hide in.

It’s completely isolated. Where did everyone go?

Ladybug still hasn’t recovered from confronting her nightmare, so he sets her down gently on the floor of the kitchen (if the various mixing bowls scattered about are anything to go by) and rubs soothing circles on her back.

“Bug, it’s okay. We’re safe. Can you breathe with me?” He goes on auto-pilot, speaking comforting and encouraging words to her as he mentally goes over the interaction with the nightmare.

Besides the fact that it seems to be an akumatized version of himself, something seemed to stick out to him that had failed to quite register with him initially.

It takes a moment, but then it hits him like a brick.

_“Oh, Marinette, please don’t cry! I’m sorry! You can turn it back. Maribug, please don’t cry…”_

Marinette. Maribug.

The akuma had called her Marinette.

Ladybug is Marinette.

Why would an akumatized version of him know her identity?

He’s pulled from his pondering when a metal mixing bowl is placed over his head.

“Uh… Bugaboo?”

He lifts the bowl, only to see Ladybug also wearing one.

“Sorry, Kitty, but this is the future. We shouldn’t be here. Bunnyx will come get us any minute and I’ll fix this again. You’ll be fine again I promise.”

He files his revelation away for a time that _isn’t_ in the middle of an akuma attack that shook Ladybug to her core.

“I don’t think there’s any time travel involved here,” he keeps his voice light, squeezing her hand gently. He keeps the bowl on (though he slides in back slightly to be able to see), because she’d likely hear if he took it off entirely. Ladybug is fragile right now. Not necessarily nearing breaking entirely, but something about this nightmare has her on the edge of _something._

He’d prefer not to know what would happen if she fell.

“Trust me, Kitty. I know what’s happening here. I remember.”

 _“Purr-haps_ you remembered wrong?” He has no idea what it is she remembers. Surely he’d remember something like this?

Her voice is soft, barely audible even to his heightened hearing. He hates how completely and utterly _haunted_ she sounds, “I can never forget.”

Her voice breaks, and he removes both bowls entirely. Ladybug looks ready to break, trembling and shutting her eyes tightly. He pulls her closer and holds her tightly. She doesn’t cry, choosing to hold herself together by the very thin threads she has left instead. 

“You were akumatized, Chaton,” she whispers, “It was my own stupid fault, and you were so _devasted,_ mon chaton. My poor kitty. I’m so _so_ sorry.”

“Ladybug, I’ve never been akumatized and if I ever was - which I won’t be - it wouldn’t be your fault.”

“It was! I don’t know how, but you said so! ‘It was our love that did this to the world, m'lady’. I had to go back in time to undo my own dumb mistake. I should never have signed my name on that gift, and I never should have delivered it to _Adrien Agreste’s bedroom_ as _Ladybug!”_ she gasps quietly, “Maybe that’s why he thinks the scarf is from his Father. Maybe someone had to go back in time to get rid of my name because he would have figured out my identity again and then somehow you learned my identity too and then somehow our love got you akumatized during a confrontation with Hawkmoth and-”

“Woah, woah woah! Slow down! Deep breaths. In… hold… out. Good. Okay. What were you saying?” Chat barely followed her incoherent rambling, but what he _does_ get is immediately filed away under ‘deal with at a better time’ with the knowledge of Ladybug’s identity.

“I’m sorry. I’m just… shaken up. I wasn’t ready for this.”

“It’s a nightmare for a reason Bugaboo. Could you start from the beginning for me? _Purr-ty_ please?” The pun draws a soft smile out of her and he cheers internally.

Ladybug inhales deeply as she begins. Launching into the story of how Bunnyx came to speak with her. How something was wrong with the timeline. How Bunnyx brought her to an alternate Paris where everything was _wrong._ _Destroyed._

The only other person there was him. Akumatized into Chat Blanc. Chat Blanc, who had destroyed the world, leaving him all alone. He’d been vague about what led to this future, and she didn’t press. Soon enough he revealed he knew her identity. When Ladybug checked under the water, she saw citizens of Paris turned into gray pillars of _something._ In front of the fallen Eiffel tower, there was a blast mark as well as gray pillars of both herself and Hawkmoth.

When she touched her pillar’s cheek it crumpled to dust, dissolving away into the water. She returned to the surface to continue the fight.

Chat Blanc’s akuma had been difficult to find, but eventually she got his bell and de-evilized him. There was still a problem.

He knew who she was.

Her Lucky Charm was an eraser that she went back in time to use to erase her name from a gift she’d given to a crush. Only then did she finally cast the cure.

When the recipient walked in on her, she made something up about a Brazilian fan club and left.

“Oh, _Bug,”_ Chat Noir hugs her tighter, “You could have told me. That was the night you called me out just to sit together wasn’t it?”

She sniffles and nods into him.

They sit together like that for some time. He doesn’t plan on having them deal with the akuma until she seems _entirely_ recovered. Chat just pets her hair soothingly as he processes the information dump he’s received in the span of one attack.

“The Sandboy just checked in~!” a voice coos from outside.

The pair stiffen, glancing at each other.

Sandboy, being the akuma to bring Chat Blanc here must have been immune to the blast, the same likely extends to Hawknoth.

Ladybug and Chat Noir separate, nodding to each other silently. Sandboy isn’t expecting them. Now is the perfect time to destroy the pillow and cleanse the akuma.

Cast the cure and rid them of this apocalyptic nightmare.

Chat Noir takes his staff and extends it, stabbing the pillow and ripping a large gash across the bottom. Ladybug catches its rider as well as the evil butterfly.

“Bye, bye little butterfly,” Ladybug says the phrase as she usually would, but she’s uncomfortable. Twitchy and subdued.

 _“Miraculous Ladybug!”_ The heroine tosses her yo-yo into the air, summoning the magical beetles to repair the city.

Chat swears Ladybug has never looked happier or more relieved by the magic repairs.

“Pound it!”

Most of the city is asleep, having slept through what was likely going to be one of the most memorable akuma attacks for the super-duo.

Ladybug - _Marinette_ \- looks about ready to topple. Considering it is the middle of the night and she just re-lived one of (if not _the)_ worst memories she had, it’s perfectly understandable.

The little boy who had been akumatized yawns. Ladybug steps toward him, but Chat touches her gently to get her attention.

“Go home and rest m’lady. I can take him home. We’ll talk tonight.”

Ladybug doesn’t protest, wishing him a good night and thanking him before swinging away. In the direction of the bakery, he notes.

Good Kwami, their talk tonight will be interesting.


	2. Their Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir and Ladybug talk about the fall out of Sandboy's return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The follow-up you all asked for! Lots of love and fluff! I hope you enjoy it as much as the first part!

When Adrien arrives at school he’s momentarily surprised to find that Marinette is already there. He’s usually the first one there - Father likes his son to be punctual.

Marinette is staring down at her desk, folded in on herself. Her usual bright eyes were dimmed, and he could see unshed tears waiting to fall. Going off the bags on her face, the source of her earliness was a lack of sleep.

Any doubt in his mind that Ladybug was his Marinette is obliterated. She definitely had a bad night.

“Hey, Mari,” he’s careful to speak softly, not wanting to startle her. He finally understands her odd behaviour around him, having pieced together the whole crush thing last night.

She doesn’t jump,just turning her head up to face him, dead eyes meeting his own. She gives him the fakest soft smile he’s ever seen (and he’s a model), “Hi.”

He wonders if he’d have been able to hear her greeting if it weren’t for his heightened hearing.

“Are you… are you okay?” The answer is obvious, but he’s not sure if Adrien is close enough to Marinette to be more direct than that. Curse Father and his controlling overprotectiveness for making Adrien bad at social norms.

Marinette only gives him a look, one that he recognizes from Ladybug. It’s the ‘we-both-know-the-answer-to-that-already-and-it’s-not-a-positive-one’ look.

Oddly specific, he’s aware, but when your partner can’t tell you why she’s upset because of secret identities, you see that look a lot.

“Anything I can do to help?” It’s Chat’s usual response, and he wonders if she’ll pick up on that.

She gets a soft look on her face, and he wonders if it’s because she noticed (it is), “No.”

Ladybug’s usual response. They may as well be sitting atop the Eiffel tower on a late-night patrol. The only difference, is that they aren’t, and that he knows what’s weighing on her this time.

Their other classmates begin streaming in, and he fiddles with his scarf nervously. He hates that she’s so torn up about what happened last night.

When Alya arrives, she immediately notices Marinette’s mood. When her bestie won’t tell her what’s going on, he can hear her going about trying to cheer her up.

Starting with the fact that Adrien is wearing the scarf she made him.

How many people knew that? Is he just that oblivious?

He’d worn it today - the fact it wasn’t _super_ cold - because the fact that Marinette (his princess, his Lady) put work and love into making a handmade gift for him only to let someone else take the credit for it, confused him. He can’t imagine why she wouldn’t have just _told_ him.

Nonetheless, it’s his favorite item in his closet now. Even more so than before.

Marinette doesn’t get much better by the end of the school day. She walks through the halls like a zombie, barely paying attention in classes, and speaking minimally.

The class has noticed by now, but Marinette just mumbles something about needing to sleep more.

He doesn’t necessarily disagree, but hates that her secret identity weighs on her this much. How many of her bad days have been caused by her alter-ego?

How many of those could he have prevented?

* * *

Chat Noir arrives at the tower first, not wanting to delay speaking with Ladybug any longer than he could help.

She arrives soon enough, weary and slowed.

They sit in silence together for some time.

“So…” he breaks the quietude first, hesitantly.

She pauses, then, “I’m sorry.”

_That_ wasn’t what he was expecting.

“What for?”

“I… don’t know. I’m sorry that I couldn’t keep myself together during the attack, I’m sorry I never told you about… the future, I’m sorry that you know my identity, I’m sorry-”

“Stop,” he holds up a hand and she turns to him expectantly, “Ladybug, none of that is your fault, and whatever else you were going to try to apologize for isn’t either.”

“But-”

“No. Ladybug, listen to me. It’s perfectly understandable that you reacted so strongly to seeing your nightmare, _especially_ since it was more of a memory - a traumatic one at that. As for not telling me, I don’t hold that against you, so there’s no reason for you to either. I understand. Yes, I know your identity, and I only love you more for it-” he’s cut off by a sob from his partner.

“Oh, Bugaboo, what’s wrong?” He didn’t mean to make her cry _more._

“I don’t deserve you,” she hugs him tightly, burying her face in his chest.

His arms hover over her, startled. He recovers quickly, hugging her tightly and petting her hair, “You deserve a lot more than you think you do, my Lady.”

That earns him another sob, her body shaking with the weight of it. 

“We sh-should pr-probably actually t-talk. A-about…” she trails off, but he understands.

“Whenever you’re ready, I’m all ears!” He wiggles his cat ears, and she giggles.

“I think… I think I am. I could tell you what happened? Again? With more details?” She looks to him hesitantly, as if waiting for his permission.

“Okay.”

And so she does. The story is familiar to him this time, but the picture becomes clearer with her not attempting to hide the details of her civilian self. Hearing about her crush on him makes his heart melt and cheeks flame.

Thankfully, she doesn’t notice, too focused on her tale. She starts having trouble when she gets to Chat Blanc. She stutters and mumbles her way through it all, shaking and tearing up once more.

“I’m sorry, I should have told you… you always wanted to know why I didn’t want us to reveal our identities…”

“No, it’s okay. I told you, I understand. You aren’t obligated to tell me anything,” he speaks for the first time since she began, holding her comfortingly.

She doesn’t seem convinced, but doesn’t say anything.

After a moment, she speaks, “Do you think that’s going to happen now? Because you know who I am?”

Oh. That must have been what was weighing on her all day.

As much as he’d like to reassure her that it won’t, they’d both know it’s a lie. They have no idea what led to Paris’ destruction.

“I don’t know,” he says honestly, “but I promise you that I’ll try my best to avoid it. Maybe we can ask Bunnyx for help.”

He can tell she doesn’t like that answer.

“Do… do you want to reveal your identity?”

That wasn’t what he expected her to say. In the least.

“Uh, you sure?”

She nods, “I know that a reveal is what led to... “ she trails off, “but if I know who you are, we can contact each other easier. If you’re at risk of being akumatized, you can text me. I can prevent it… I hope.”

“Well, _purrincess,_ if you really want to know… I’m Adrien Agreste,” he smiles at her.

He sees the moment it clicks in her mind, and she blushes furiously, covering her face with her hands.

She’s speaking into her palms, but it’s too rushed and mumbled for him to make it out.

“What’s the matter Mari? Am I too much of a cool cat for you now?” He teases.

She pushes him away by the nose, looking away from him and covering her mouth with her other hand.

“You know, I think that shade of red looks _purr-ty_ good on you. Maybe you should wear it more often” he purrs as he speaks, adding a wink for good measure, as he turns her to face him again with a gloved hand.

Her face (surprisingly) manages to get even redder.

He mercifully allows her to calm down a moment. He has the rest of his life to flirt with his Lady, he can give her a break - _this_ time.

She takes a deep breath, getting control of her flaming face once more.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask you…” he starts, once she seems composed, “Why didn’t you tell me about the scarf?”

The question is innocent enough, but she gasps in horror, covering her mouth again, “Oh no! You know about that! You never were supposed to know!”

“Why not? You made me an excellent scarf for my birthday, why would I be upset to know that my beautiful classmate made me a beautiful scarf?”  
“Firstly, that’s enough flirting from you, and secondly, because I didn’t want you to be disappointed-” he begins to protest, but she cuts him off by putting a finger to his lips, “You were _so_ happy, kitty. Just because you thought your father got you that scarf. I couldn’t take that away from you. I knew you liked it, and your smile was thanks enough for me.”

Now _he’s_ the one that wants to cry. How did he come to deserve someone like her? Is she sure she wants _him?_

Before he can stop himself, he rushes forward and presses his lips to hers. She makes a startled noise, but melts into it. One hand finds her hair, the other rests on her waist. Ladybug has one hand above his heart, the other tangles in his hair, scratching behind his cat ears.

A purr rumbles from his chest, and they pull away, both blushing furiously. She laughs quietly and leans against him, humming happily.

“I’m- I’m sorry, I just-” he wasn’t really planning on this happening. She just-

He loves her so much.

“Shh. Kitty, if I’m not allowed to apologize for… everything that’s happened, then you can’t apologize for kissing me,” she leans against him further, feeling heavy, “Besides, you deserve to have a kiss you can remember.”

He laughs, kissing her hair, and putting an arm around her.

They sit together in silence, happy together. They can worry about the future another time, but for now they have the present.

Ladybug’s yawn interrupts the quiet atmosphere at the top of the tower. She blushes.

He frowning and stern, “How much did you sleep last night? You looked dead on your feet at school.”

She looks away, “...I didn’t,” before he can reprimand her she defends herself, “I tried! I fell asleep once, but I… I only dreamed about... “ her voice cracks and tears fall, “I can’t lose you!”

Ladybug grabs for him helplessly, and he pulls her close once more, onto his lap this time so that she can hear his heartbeat. He rubs her back soothingly and whispers reassurances like he did during Sandboy.

“C-can,” she looks down at her lap, “Can you stay with me? I just… I want to know that-”

“Yes,” he kisses her hair again, “Yes, of course. I won’t leave you, not again.”

She smiles, yawning quietly. Her eyelids fall close momentarily, but she forces them open once more, “Spots off…”

Tikki falls out of the earrings, smiling at Chat as a silent thank you before nestling into Marinette’s hair.

“Take me home, kitty?”

“As my Lady wishes.”

She blushes at his use of the nickname outside of the mask. Chat Noir picks her up _(purr-incess_ style) and holds her securely, sliding down a leg of the tower, before grabbing his baton to propel himself onto the rooftops.

The girl in his arms holds onto him tightly, barely staying awake.

She’s had a long day.

They arrive at the bakery, letting them in through the (thankfully) unlocked trapdoor. He sets his princess down on her bed, pulling the covers over her. Tikki flies off to another part of the room, leaving them alone.

Marinette reaches for him sleepily. He complies, slipping under the covers with her and cuddling close. He releases his transformation, Plagg hovers over them, mutters that it’s ‘about time’ before presumably flying off to be with Tikki.

“I love you, Bugaboo…” Adrien whispers to her.

She smiles softly, too tired to return the thought. He holds her to him, and she moves slightly so that she can hear his heartbeat.

That’s how she falls asleep, hugging him close as he pets her hair, purring softly. He’s not far behind her.

When she wakes up in the middle of the night, tears streaming down her face and hyperventilating, he’s there with her. Pressing her hand to his heart to remind her that he’s fine, she’s fine - they’re fine.

He presses their foreheads together as she gets herself together. Wiping her tears away, he pulls her back down to the bed, holding her tightly and purring. He waits until he feels her breathing even out and her body relax as she falls asleep. Only then does he follow her to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was good! I don't think I write romance well, and I had to Google some tips for that kiss. My friend proofread that scene for me, so I hope it wasn't _too_ awful. Anyways, thanks for all the encouraging comments on the last one! You all seemed so eager for a second part and I couldn't resist.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are appreciated and adored!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed that! I'm tempted to write a follow up of their conversation, but we'll see. I want to try and use some of this inspiration on With Time or at least A Shy 'Sparrow'. Either way, thanks for reading! (I'm so sorry about the state of the tags).
> 
> I'm on [tumblr](https://pandawritespoorly.tumblr.com/)! Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave any thoughts, theories, constructive criticism, or anything really in the comments below! I love getting that notification!
> 
> P. S. I rewatched Chat Blanc to write this, and I noticed that Hawkmoth’s cane is his phone. That in it of itself wasn’t surprising, but like, it was still attached to the cane part. Instead of making that thing detachable, the writers were like ‘nah, let’s just make him unable to go through a door normally’. I can’t the image out of my head. Hawkmoth, villain of Paris, talking on the phone, while said phone extends several feet out to his side. Is he that old that even his miraculous phone needs an antenna?


End file.
